assassin Assassination is the murder of a prominent or important person, such as a head of state, head of government, politician, world leader, member of a royal family or CEO. The murder of a celebrity, activist, or artist, though they may not have a ...

is a person who commits targeted murder. Assassin may also refer to:

Origin of term

* Someone belonging to the medieval Persian Ismaili order of Assassins

Animals and insects

Assassin bugs The Reduviidae are a large cosmopolitan family of the order Hemiptera (true bugs). Among the Hemiptera and together with the Nabidae almost all species are terrestrial ambush predators: most other predatory Hemiptera are aquatic. The main exam ...

, a genus in the family ''Reduviidae'' * Assassin spiders, a genus in the family ''Archaeidae''

Literature

* ''The Assassin'' (play), a 1945 play by Irwin Shaw * ''Assassin'' (Cain novel), a 2008 thriller novel by Tom Cain, the third Samuel Carver book * ''Assassin'' (Myers novel), a 2006 historical fiction novel by the children's author Anna Myers * ''Assassins'' (LaHaye novel), a 1999 novel in the ''Left Behind'' series by Jerry B. Jenkins and Tim Lahaye * '' Krondor: The Assassins'', a 1999 novel by Raymond E. Feist * "The Assassin", a character in the 2006 '' Noble Warriors'' book trilogy * The Assassin, novel by Harlan Ellison * "The Assassin", story by

Guy De Maupassant Henri René Albert Guy de Maupassant (, ; ; 5 August 1850 – 6 July 1893) was a 19th-century French author, remembered as a master of the short story form, as well as a representative of the Naturalist school, who depicted human lives, destin ...

* ''

The Assassini ''The Assassini'' is a 1990 thriller novel by American author Thomas Gifford, published by Bantam Books. Plot summary Set in 1982, while the Roman Catholic Church is preparing to elect a successor to the dying pope, Callistus IV, the book de ...

'', a 1990 novel by Thomas Gifford * ''The Assassins'' by Elia Kazan * ''The Assassins'', a 2005 novel by

Oliver North Oliver Laurence North (born October 7, 1943) is an American political commentator, television host, military historian, author, and retired United States Marine Corps lieutenant colonel. A veteran of the Vietnam War, North was a National Secu ...

* "The Assassins", a short story by

Ernest Hemingway Ernest Miller Hemingway (July 21, 1899 – July 2, 1961) was an American novelist, short-story writer, and journalist. His economical and understated style—which he termed the iceberg theory—had a strong influence on 20th-century f ...

* '' The Assassins: A Radical Sect in Islam'', a 1967 non-fiction book by Bernard Lewis * The Hassassin in Dan Brown's ''Angels & Demons'', 2000 *The Assassins' Guild in Terry Pratchett's

Discworld ''Discworld'' is a comic fantasy"Humorous Fantasy" in David Pringle, ed., ''The Ultimate Encyclopedia of Fantasy'' (pp.31-33). London, Carlton,2006. book series written by the English author Terry Pratchett, set on the Discworld, a flat ...

series

Comics and visual novels

* Assassin (''Fate/stay night''), a fictional character * Assassin (''Fate/Zero''), a fictional character

Film and TV

Films

* ''Assassin'' (1969 film), a South Korean thriller film * ''Assassin'' (1973 film), a British thriller film starring Ian Hendry * Assassin (1986 TV film), a television science fiction film starring Robert Conrad * ''Assassin'' (2015 film), a British thriller film by J. K. Amalou starring Danny Dyer * ''Assassin's Creed'' (2016 film), an American US film directed by Justin Kurzel * ''Assassins'' (1995 film), an American film starring Sylvester Stallone and Antonio Banderas * ''Assassins'' (2020 film), an American documentary film * '' Assassin(s)'', a 1997 French film * '' Margaret Cho: Assassin'', a 2005 film by Margaret Cho * ''The Assassin'' (1961 film), an Italian film * ''The Assassin'' (1967 film), a 1967 Shaw Brothers film * ''The Assassin'' (2015 film), a Taiwanese-Hong Kong-Chinese film directed by Hou Hsiao-Hsien * ''The Assassin'' a 1993 film also known as ''Point of No Return'' * ''The Assassin'', also known as '' Yakuza Deka'', a 1970 Japanese film starring Sonny Chiba * ''The Assassin'', the UK title for ''Gunfighters'', a 1947 American film directed by George Waggner * ''The Assassins'' (film), a 2012 Chinese film * '' Venetian Bird'' a 1952 British film starring

Richard Todd Richard Andrew Palethorpe-Todd (11 June 19193 December 2009) was an Irish-British actor known for his leading man roles of the 1950s. He received a Golden Globe Award for Most Promising Newcomer – Male, and an Academy Award for Best Actor n ...

known as ''The Assassin'' in the USA

Television

* "Assassin" (''Law & Order: Criminal Intent''), a 2008 episode of the television series ''Law & Order: Criminal Intent'' * "Assassin", a 1981 episode of the BBC series ''

Blake's 7 ''Blake's 7'' (sometimes styled ''Blakes7'') is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. Four 13-episode series were broadcast on BBC1 between 1978 and 1981. It was created by Terry Nation, who also wrote the first ...

'' * "Assassins" (''Desperate Housewives''), a 2011 episode of the seventh season of the series * "The Assassin" (''The Borgias''), a 2011 episode of the Showtime-Bravo! series ''The Borgias'' * "The Assassin", an episode from the first season of

MacGyver Angus "Mac" MacGyver is the title character and the protagonist in the TV series ''MacGyver''. He is played by Richard Dean Anderson in the 1985 original series. Lucas Till portrays a younger version of MacGyver in the 2016 reboot. In both p ...

Games

Video gaming

* ''Assassin'' (video game), a 1992 video game * Assassin's Creed, a game series by Ubisoft *Assassin, a secret unlockable character in the ''Soulcalibur'' series, debuting in ''

Soulcalibur II is a 2002 fighting game developed by Project Soul and published by Namco and the third installment in the ''Soulcalibur'' series of weapon-based fighting games. It is the sequel to ''Soulcalibur'', which was released in July 1998. Originally in ...

'' * ''The Assassin'' (cancelled video game), an unreleased game from OMC Games

Role playing

Assassin (character class) In tabletop games and video games, a character class is a job or profession commonly used to differentiate the abilities of different game characters. In role-playing games (RPGs), character classes aggregate several abilities and aptitudes, ...

, a character class common to many games ** Assassin (''Dungeons & Dragons'') *

Assassin (game) Assassin (also Killer) is a live-action game in which players try to eliminate one another using mock weapons, in an effort to become the last surviving player. Assassin is particularly popular on college campuses; several universities have a ...

, a live-action role-playing game

Music

Assassin (band) Assassin was a heavy metal band that was formed in San Diego during the summer of 1983 by guitarists Thom Beebe and Vinnie Cavarra. They sought out noted drummer Leroy Vega and, in recruiting him, also lucked into a vocalist, his friend Pete Pap ...

, an American heavy metal band *

Assassin (deejay) Jeffrey E. Campbell (born 22 December 1982), better known as Agent Sasco, and Assassin, is a Jamaican dancehall deejay.Johnson, Richard (2012)‘ONLY A MATTER OF TIME’ – Deejay Assassin awaits that moment, ''Jamaica Observer'', 20 January 2 ...

(born 1982), Jamaican dancehall deejay *

Assassin (German band) Assassin is thrash metal group from Düsseldorf, Germany. Founded in 1983, they notably released four albums on Steamhammer Records and one on Massacre Records. Discography * ''The Upcoming Terror'' (1987, Steamhammer Records) * ''Interstellar Ex ...

, a German thrash metal band *

Assassin (rap crew) Assassin is a French hardcore rap group formed in the 18th municipal district ('' arrondissement municipal'') of Paris. The group was formed in 1985 by Rockin' Squat and Solo.''Assassins'' (musical), a 1990 musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim

Albums

* ''Assassin'' (album), a 1984 album by Assassin * ''Assassins'' (album), by Into a Circle * '' Assassins: Black Meddle, Part 1'', a 2008 album by Nachtmystium * ''

I, Assassin ''I, Assassin'' is the fourth solo studio album by English new wave musician Gary Numan, released on 10 September 1982 by Beggars Banquet. It peaked at No. 8 on the UK Album Chart. Three singles were released from the album: " Music for Chamel ...

'', a 1982 album by Gary Numan * ''The Assassin'' (album), by Big Ed

Songs

* "Assassin" (Muse song), 2006 * "Assassin" (The Orb song), 1992 * "Assassin", a song by John Mayer on the album '' Battle Studies'' * "Assassin", a song by Morbid Saint on the album ''

Spectrum of Death ''Spectrum of Death'' is the debut album by American band Morbid Saint. Overview ''Spectrum of Death'' is actually a reissue of the band's 1988 demo ''Lock Up Your Children'', which was licensed by Edge Entertainment to Mexican label Avanzada Met ...

'' * "Assassin", a song by Motörhead on the album ''

Snake Bite Love ''Snake Bite Love'' is the fourteenth studio album by British rock band Motörhead. It was released on 10 March 1998 via Steamhammer, their third with the label. Recording ''Snake Bite Love'' would be the final album co-produced with Howard B ...

'' * "Assassing", a song by Marillion on the album '' Fugazi'' * "Assassins", a song by noise rock duo Lightning Bolt from the album '' Wonderful Rainbow'' * "Assassins", a song by The Insane Clown Posse on the album ''

The Amazing Jeckel Brothers ''The Amazing Jeckel Brothers'' is the fifth studio album by American hip hop group Insane Clown Posse, released on May 25, 1999, by Island Records, in association with Psychopathic Records. Recording sessions for the album took place from 1998 ...

'' * "The Assassin", a song by Iron Maiden from the 1990 album ''

No Prayer for the Dying ''No Prayer for the Dying'' is the eighth studio album by English heavy metal band Iron Maiden. It is their first album to feature Janick Gers on guitar, who replaced Adrian Smith. Smith left the band during the pre-production phase, unhappy ...

Sports

Assassin (horse) Assassin (1779 – c. 1794) was a Thoroughbred racehorse that won the 1782 Epsom Derby. His breeder, Lord Egremont, won the Derby for the first time with Assassin. Assassin raced until he was a five-year-old and was retired to Egremont's stu ...

(1779–c. 1794), Thoroughbred racehorse that won the 1782 Epsom Derby * The Assassin, a nickname for former American football defensive back

Jack Tatum John David Tatum (November 18, 1948 – July 27, 2010) was an American football safety. He played 10 seasons, from 1971 through 1980, with the Oakland Raiders and Houston Oilers in the National Football League (NFL). He was popularly known as " ...

* The Assassin, a nickname for street basketball player Brandon Durham * The Assassin, a ring name of professional wrestler

Jody Hamilton Joseph Hamilton (August 28, 1938 – August 3, 2021) was an American professional wrestler, promoter, and trainer. He was best known as one half of the tag team The Assassins where he was called "Assassin #1". When the Assassins ended, He wrest ...

The Assassins (professional wrestling) The Assassins were a masked professional wrestling tag team from the 1960s to the 1980s. Jody Hamilton, the original Assassin, was a member throughout the various incarnations of the team, teaming with Tom Renesto, Roger Smith, Randy Colley, Her ...

, a wrestling tag team

Other uses

All Sky Automated Survey for SuperNovae The All Sky Automated Survey for SuperNovae (ASAS-SN) is an automated program to search for new supernovae and other astronomical transients, headed by astronomers from the Ohio State University, including Christopher Kochanek and Krzysztof Stanek ...

(ASAS-SN)